The City of Santa Fe is soliciting applications for housing, public facility and public services projects that are eligible for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds.
Donor Name: City of Santa Fe
State: New Mexico
City: Santa Fe
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 02/17/2023
Size of the Grant: $600,000
Details:
The objective of the City’s use of these funds is to support and expand housing and economic opportunities for people with incomes less than 80% of the area median income (AMI) as defined by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
The CDBG Program is funded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and provides an allocation of funds to local and state governments for a wide-range of eligible housing and community development activities. The stated purpose of the program is: “The development of viable urban communities, by providing decent housing and a suitable living environment and expanding economic opportunities, principally for persons of low and moderate income.”
Objectives
The authorizing statute of the CDBG program requires that each eligible activity except program administration and planning activities must meet one of the three National Objectives:
- Benefit low and moderate income (LMI) persons or households.
- Eliminate slum and blight.
- Address an urgent community need that threatens the health or welfare of residents.
Funding Information
For the FY 2023-24 year, an allocation of approximately $600,000 is anticipated to be made available from the grant award with an additional $300,000 (approximately) of prior year funds.
Eligible Activities
Some Eligible Activities that can be funded by CDBG include but are not limited to the following:
- Housing Activities
- Assist existing homeowners with the repair, rehabilitation or reconstruction of owner occupied units. Financial assistance through loans or grants are made for emergency repair programs, spot rehabilitation, or full house rehabilitation for existing homes. Special purpose programs include improving the energy efficiency of a home, handicap accessibility, emergency repairs and weatherization.
- Direct assistance to facilitate and expand low-moderate income (LMI) homeownership by subsidizing interest rates and mortgage principal amounts, financing the cost of acquiring property, pay all or part of the premium on behalf of the homebuyer mortgage insurance, pay any or all of the reasonable closing costs associated with the home purchase and pay up to 50% of the down payment required by mortgagee;
- Assistance to rehabilitate privately owned residential buildings and improvements; low income public housing and residential buildings; publicly and privately owned commercial or industrial buildings for exterior improvements and code violations; non-profit owned nonresidential buildings and improvements; and manufactured housing, when considered part of the permanent housing stock;
- Acquisition of property for an eligible rental or homeownership housing project;
- Conversion of a closed building from one use to residential such as a closed school;
- Activities to prevent the abandonment and deterioration of housing acquired through tax foreclosure including making essential repairs to the housing and paying operating expenses to maintain its habitability.
- Real Property
- Acquisition of Real Property, by purchase, long term lease, donation or otherwise, for the purposes of providing affordable housing, public services, or a public facility.
- Disposing of real property refers to the sale, lease and donation of real property. Costs related to the sale, lease, or donation of real property acquired with CDBG funds are CDBG-eligible;
- Lead Based Paint Hazard Evaluation and Reduction. The costs associated with the evaluation and reduction of lead-based paint hazards as either its own activity or as part of a rehabilitation activity;
- Historic Preservation. The preservation and restoration of publicly and privately owned properties of historic significance are generally eligible under CDBG;
- Renovation of Closed Buildings for the use as an eligible public facility as well as both residential and commercial facilities.
- Energy Efficiency Activities such as weatherizing a home or apartment complex, finance energy efficient rehabilitation work and install wind and solar equipment;
- Handicapped Accessibility. Removal of material and architectural barriers that restrict the mobility or accessibility of elderly or handicapped persons.
- Public Facilities and Public Improvements (defined as all facilities and improvements that are publicly owned or are owned by a non-profit and open to the public during normal working hours)
- Acquisition, construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation or installation of public facilities, except buildings for general conduct of government. Activities may include design features that promote energy efficiency and architectural design features and treatments intended to enhance aesthetic quality of facilities. Examples of public facilities include: homeless facilities, senior centers, childcare centers, and facilities for AIDS patients, parks and recreational facilities, neighborhood facilities, and Health facilities.
- Public Improvements such as installation, construction and rehabilitation of infrastructure (water/sewer lines, streets and sidewalks). CDBG funds cannot be used for maintenance of these facilities and improvements. This category generally also does not include operating costs
- Public Service Activities (subject to 15% cap). Provision of public services that stabilize housing situations, prevent or end homelessness, and support sustainable homeownership are the main priorities for the City’s CDBG funding. If the applicant is applying for CDBG funding for the first time, the proposed services must be a new or quantifiable increase in the level of an existing service which has been provided by the grantee or another entity on its behalf. This means that the applicant must show an increased deliverable, such as persons or households served. The CDBG program restricts the amount of funding for public services to no more than 15% of the annual grant award. Therefore, public service projects are highly competitive for any given grant year.
- Other Types of Assistance
- Relocation payments and assistance to displaced persons;
- Payment to housing owners for losses of rental income incurred in holding units for persons displaced;
- Provision of fair housing counseling services and activities
Post-Award Requirements for Subrecipients
A Subrecipient is an agency or organization that is provided CDBG funds by the City of Santa Fe for their use in carrying out approved eligible activities. Subrecipients may include:
- Public or Private Non-Profit Agency, Authority or Organization.
- For-Profit entities who provide assistance specifically to microenterprises.
- Institutions of Higher Learning.
For more information, visit City of Santa Fe.
